Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
Over €17 million to help Sicilian families pay their rent. The Region of Sicily, through the regional ministry for Infrastructure and Mobility, has published the call for applications for supplementary rent contributions for 2025, allocating more than double the initial budget of €8 million.
“I have always said that my government’s commitment is to leave no one behind,” said Renato Schifani, President of the Sicilian Region. “This is one of many tangible actions that prove it. Helping people, who today are increasingly struggling with the cost of living, to pay their rent is an act of social justice and a measure that gives concrete support to the community. It is part of a series of initiatives we have launched, such as the airfare subsidy, the gym voucher and the poverty income.”
The measure aims to ease the burden of housing costs on household budgets, with particular attention to families in economic hardship.
“Thanks to intense teamwork involving the ministry’s staff and the regional department for Infrastructure,” highlighted Alessandro Aricò, the regional minister responsible for Infrastructure and Mobility, “we managed to secure an additional €9.32 million on top of the initial €8 million. The goal is to provide an even more effective response to the needs of Sicilian families. This is an important result, born of the commitment and collaboration between the various structures of the regional administration, and it demonstrates the Schifani government’s determination to turn its attention to the most vulnerable sections of the population into concrete action.”
The support is intended for citizens with a duly registered residential lease and a valid Isee certificate below €15,639.40. There are two access tiers, determined by the household’s economic situation and the proportion of rent in its income. The maximum contribution will be €3,098.74 for tier “A” and €2,324.05 for tier “B”.
Among the main new features is the possibility for a surviving spouse to access the support even if the leaseholder has died, provided they meet the requirements set out in the notice. As for single-person households, the call clarifies that people living alone can also benefit from the contribution under the same conditions, with no distinction based on the number of household members.
“We wanted to introduce two important social considerations,” Aricò added, “to make this measure even more inclusive and responsive to citizens’ real needs. On the one hand, we fully recognise the right of people living alone to access rent support; on the other, we protect surviving spouses, ensuring that the loss of a loved one does not also mean the loss of an economic benefit. These are choices that move us towards greater fairness and a public administration capable of understanding and addressing social vulnerabilities.”
